The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-12-09

returned. and, with a final pop of /
n.acksnAke whip upon s.Dolr a
I5lerls' lean sides, drove into the 8
bic yard
Everything seemed TO have conspir
against the eFenness of Joe's temper. a,
be was almost ready to explode Wi
wrath Ever since the drought beo,
ne had been on the lookout for buy
Tor his place, which he intended to d
pose Of, and with the money thus q
tanned return TO ''Injianny.n Then aft
Joe was sure he had the buyer sshookee
~ the latter backed out and left Joe wi,
the farm still on his hands.
Wal. hit pears that yer gittin' lazi,
every day" he said 10 Paul as he ioine
le the lad in the cornfcid. ",Member VIII,
Isaid wen ! left Wal, meant il L
learn ye to-
But II Is useless 10 chronicle the rest n
the TRADE Of abuse be bestowed upon IA
weary boy He grasped the lad bv N
collar and proceeded to get even wifi
the disappointing buyer by cruelty whip
ping Paul
After the frst few cuts of the black
snake whip the lad ceased to CRY aloud
! but Joe, in his unreasoning anger. did
moi notice this or, if he did, attributed
il 70 stubbornness, and continued the
punishment Till tired.
Thar" he said, II low some Nv the
iaklness IS ihrashed out o. ye.n
when he released his hold on Paul's
collar the lad fell to the ground without
= sound.
stubborn. shammin'r' muttered Joe.
wa, he can't come no possum game
over me, and he strobe toward the
house. '-e
The sun set and the cool prairie breeze
blew softly through the prone bows hair
Presently Paul asoke to the pain of the
stripes and wales on his slender body
ne rose weakly TO his feet and staggered
= ..s.ss away from The direction OF the
Hicks Bluh 70 the snug 81 rfccik ssfs~.E
Close TO the foot Of tall cottonwood
be sank down, weak with pain and sick
at heart
He lay for awhile looking up at the
stars that were fast peeping into sight,
and there came 20 him longing TO be up
among those bright worlds and at rest.
Then his thoughts turned toward his
father. He shank from the idea OF
meeting him again, and, full Of the
thought that Joe would come presently
searching for him, he climbed down the
almost perpendicular face of the bluff TO
q little, coye-iike indentation some ten
feet below. There be reclined under the
overhanging bank with nAught but the
pain Of his stripes to disturb him
Soon IL was so dark that the trees
along the creek below were but indis-
tiacf masses Of blackness. A star, brighter
than is fellows, hidden from his sight
BIZ the projecting roof above him, CLEANED
in the sluggish creek below like the light
Of some Will O-the-wisp.
Then. as he looked at the roof above
him, from which great fake Of small
stones and earth had dropped few days
before, il seemed as il star was shining
through the dirt. As be moved slightly
Il WAS shut out from him. only to reap
pear when he resumed his former position.
Look as he might, from only one place
could he see IT,
''What do you reckon that isin he
asked Of an imaginary auditor. Painful
Is lifting stone after stone, he heaped
them up directly beneath the spot where
the like point Of light CLEANED.
Finally, when the pyramid had reached
the proper height, he mounted it and
balanced himself unsteadily on top.
Slowly he raised himself erect His ex-
tended hand above his head fell but
fraction Of an inch short. He stretched
himself up on tiptoe and could just
touch il
He clrtched around the shining spot
and dug lis fingers in the earth The
gem CLEANED through his fingers like
fiagment Of living FIRE.
As he strove to detach the luminous
spot the stone on the apex of the heap
began to sway beneath his unsteady feet.
Then, y he made one last effort, Paul
and the swaying stone toppled over.
With the cleaning gem clutched fast in
his hand he fell FROM the stone heap and
over the edge of the cave floor. With
Wild CRY be went headlong down the face
Of the bluff, and. rolling, tumbling, fall
/ ing, went over the precipice, TO lie a
senseless heap at the foot Of a tall tree by
the dark. sluggish creek
For hours he lay there bereft OF sense
d almost of life. A swift Kansas
uderstor7a came up and poured down
do0d OF water upon the white up
4 face Of the lad. The thunder
in one almost continuous roar and
lightning was like one bright last
ar sheet. but faal's wandering senses
( did not heed them A great limb, torn
from the parent stem by thunderbolt,
fell near him, but Paul stirred not
Then the storm grew less IN power and
presently passed away altogether, and the
only sounds to be heard were the distant
thunder and the soft tinkle Of the drops
falling All about him. At last the lad
Opened his eyes. His whole body felt
broken and torn, and he wondered
vaguely if every bone in his anatomy was
shattered.
He raised bis hand slowly, weakly. In
II CLEANED the stone, ike a spark Of liv-
ing fire. He strove TO raise himself onthe
elbow Of his other arm, and with a scream
Of pain, sank back The bone was
i broken.
When next be opened his eyes the
morning was growing red and golden
with the iirst rays Of the rising sun. Far
Of to the northeast the storm cloud, now
looking small and impotent, could be
seen. Presently the light, shining on
the distant rain drops, threw faint rain
how upon the sky.
The poem .'Hiawatha' came TO the
boys thoughts. and, mechanically, he re-
! peated the words:
Saw the rainbow in the hcavens,
In the eastern SKY the rainbow.
Whispered What Is that. Nokomiss'
And the good Nokomis answered:
Z. rs The heaven Of flowers you sse there;
An the lilies ~ the prairie,
When on earth they fade and perish,
Blossom IN that heaven above us
When the searching party found him
be was unconscious again DIR. Griggs
raised him n his strong arns-
Jest like the boy Joe muttered-
ssHe hain'f wuth his salt Now yeT's
the doctors bill 10 pay
DIR. 6riggs withdrew the cleaning
stone that the hand Of the unconscious
a Il.